1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a storage medium, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a storage medium for efficiently reprinting an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A related-art image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a multifunction printer having at least one of copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile functions, typically forms an image on a recording medium (e.g., a sheet) based on image data.
In recent years, copiers have come to include a function of printing an image based on original image data read by a scanner, and a printer or a facsimile machine includes a function of printing image data input by an external device. In addition, a MFP (multi function peripheral) combining the above functions has been provided.
Specifically, one known related-art image forming apparatus stores image data in a storage device such as a HDD or the like and prints the stored image data according to an instruction given by a user using a control panel or the like. Therefore, the image forming apparatus may efficiently choose a document from documents stored in a storage device to print or delete the document.
Another known related-art image forming apparatus detects a two-dimensional bar code applied to an original document, decodes command information encoded in the detected bar code, and determines processing according to the decoded command information. Yet another known related-art image forming apparatus decodes information about an access to a web server from two-dimensional bar code information included in read image data, acquires contents data based on the decoded information, and prints the contents data.
The above two image forming apparatuses may read a mark such as a two-dimensional bar code embedded with various types of information from an original document and control printing and the like based on the embedded information. Generally, when an image forming apparatus stores image data in a storage device and prints the image data by operation of a control panel and the like, the image data is stored when input. By contrast, when the image forming apparatus reads a mark from an original document and controls printing and the like based on information embedded in the mark, the image data is stored when output. Thus, when the image forming apparatus has both functions, the above difference in timing of storing the image data may cause complicated processing of the image forming apparatus.
Obviously, such difference in the timing of storing the image data is undesirable, and accordingly, there is a need for a technology to efficiently printing image data after storing the image data in a storage device and printing image data by reading a mark applied to an original document.